Guide · 2 min read ·
How to write a page title and description that earn the click in Google
Before anyone visits your page, they see a search result: a blue title, a green address and two lines of grey text. Those few words decide whether you get the visit. They are also easy to get wrong, because they are cut off at a length you cannot see while you are typing them into a settings box. This guide explains how a result is built, why pixels matter more than characters and how to write copy that reads well and fits.
What a search result is made of
A result has four parts: the site name and address at the top, the title as a clickable link, and a short description below. The title usually comes from your page's title tag, and the description from the meta description tag, although the search engine may use other text from the page if it thinks that answers the search better.
Because the visitor decides in a second or two, each part has a job. The address builds trust, the title says what the page is about, and the description gives a reason to click.
Why the title is measured in pixels
Titles are cut off by width, not by character count. A line of narrow letters such as i and l fits more than a line of wide ones such as W and M, so two titles of the same length can be cut at different places. The usual limit on desktop is about 600 pixels, which is roughly 50 to 60 characters of normal text.
The preview measures your title in pixels using a similar font, shows how much of the 600 you have used and adds the three dots where it would be cut. Treat the number as a guide. Different browsers and devices render text slightly differently.
Writing the title
Put the most important words first, because that is the part that always shows. Say what the page is, in the words a searcher would use. Keep your brand name short and at the end. Give every page its own title. Two pages with the same title confuse both search engines and visitors.
Avoid stuffing in keywords. A title that reads like a list of search terms looks spammy and gets fewer clicks. One clear phrase beats three awkward ones.
Writing the description
Around 150 to 160 characters fits on desktop, and mobile shows less, so put the key point in the first line. Describe the benefit, not just the feature, and end with a reason to act. Write a different description for each page, and keep it truthful. A description that overpromises gets a click and a quick exit, which helps nobody.
Desktop and mobile
Most searches now happen on phones, where titles can wrap onto two lines and descriptions are shorter. The preview has a mobile view so you can check both. If your title only works on desktop, shorten it.
When Google writes its own
Search engines sometimes replace your title or description, especially when the text does not match what the page is about or the search. That is normal. The best defence is a clear, honest title and a description that matches the page, because those are the ones that get kept.
Use the preview to catch the easy problems: text that is too long, too short or missing. Then run the page through the launch page grader, and check the sharing version with the social preview checker.